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Education and Freedom of Religion Or Belief in South and Southeast Asia

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Education and Freedom of Religion Or Belief in South and Southeast Asia Education and Freedom of Religion or Belief in South and Southeast Asia 1 This brief is one of four policy briefs produced as a part of the European Union-funded Southeast Asia: Advancing Inter-Religious dialogue and Freedom of Religion or Belief (SEA-AIR) project. The SEA-AIR project is implemented in consortium with The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, Finn Church Aid, Sathirakoses Nagapradipa Foundation, Islamic Relief Worldwide, World Conference for Religions for Peace Inc., and World Faiths Development Dialogue, which was the lead organization in drafting the four policy briefs. This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the World Faiths Development Dialogue and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. 2 Recent global events, with the added overshadowing of the COVID-19 emergencies, underscore needed action on three interrelated topics: social cohesion, approaches to pluralism in relation to national identities, and action to promote freedom of religion or belief. There is a growing global consensus that knowledge about religions and beliefs is integrally part of fostering democratic citizenship and mutual respect, promoting social cohesion and pluralism, and tempering ethno-cultural tensions. It is an essential element in advancing Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) as an integral part of the human rights agenda. However, questions about how religions and beliefs should be taught and learned in schools are widely debated. Public education systems in South/Southeast Asia offer different models, ranging from no religious education to mandatory subjects-based instruction. Separate religious education systems beyond public education also play significant roles. Exploring common challenges and differences in approach can contribute to reflections on approaches to national and regional identities as pertinent institutions respond to the demands of the post-COVID recovery. This brief explores practical and policy issues that link FoRB and social cohesion issues to education policy. The topic has particular relevance in the context of the regional policy focus on peacebuilding and FoRB and with urgent demands for review looking to post COVID reforms. The brief provides background on relevant international organization commitments to teaching religions and beliefs and offers a bird’s eye view on how religious topics are taught in different South/East Asian countries, focusing on public education systems1. The brief explores several approaches to educating about religions and beliefs and concludes with recommendations addressed to policymakers, curriculum specialists, and teacher trainers.2 Education on religious diversity Understanding diverse religions and beliefs early in children’s lives is important in all societies but has particular significance today in Southeast and South Asian contexts, given longstanding propensities towards misunderstandings, misconceptions, stereotypes, and provocative/hate-filled remarks about “others”. Children learn about ethnic and cultural differences at a very early age, gathering information from various social institutions such as family, schools, places of worship, playgrounds, and media. Schools play an integral role in children’s overall development through socialization, teaching and learning activities, and developing socio-cultural capital. Knowledge of the values, religions, and beliefs of others is an important part of a quality education. Different national and international organizations recognize that young people should learn and understand religions’ roles in developing a pluralistic world. Since children are ever more exposed to other cultures and identities different from their own through social media connectivity and other globalization events such as migration, the need for such education will certainly increase. Thus, a contemporary ideal and goal is to build into education systems effective programs that develop mutual respect for others and reduce 1 Generally, refers to a school whose organization, financing and management are primarily the responsibility of, or under the primary oversight of, a public body (state, regional, municipal, etc.) 2 Data for this brief comes from literature review and responses from the SEA-AIR project beneficiaries. 3 misunderstanding, stereotyping, and conflicts, as basic skills and attributes of common citizenship. Why Should Religions and Beliefs be Taught at Schools? Schools are social institutions where a child spends a significant time of her life. Schools, particularly public schools, are also microcosms of societies where both national ethos and social needs are negotiated through the interplay between the curriculum and pedagogy. Convincing reasons for teaching and learning religion at a school include: • Education is often a key dimension of the long-term process of building peace, tolerance, justice, and intercultural understanding. Teaching and learning about each other’s values and beliefs within a sociocultural and historical frame can facilitate mutual understanding and civic responsibility. • Religion plays a significant role in history and society of mankind. People all over the world identify religions and beliefs as important forces in their personal, social, and spiritual lives. Thus, omitting religion can give students a false impression about this important facet of life. • In an increasingly pluralistic world, lacking religious literacy of one’s own faith system and others’—failing to understand the basic symbols, concepts, rituals, practices, and debates of different religions—can give students a partial, distorted view of the world. • Learning about religions and beliefs within their socio-historical contexts can foster self-exploration where a student might appreciate and/or depreciate her own religion and belief, which then contributes to her identity formation at an early age. A critical approach to learning about religion offers opportunities to ask questions and find meanings that go beyond day-to-day negotiations with religion and belief. • Learning about similarities and differences among religious traditions from an informed mentor such as a teacher can help promote respectful behavior towards others, particularly between majority and minority religious groups. In places with high religious and ethnic tensions, this type of learning can foster social cohesion. • Carefully written textbooks can be instrumental in the process of building a cohesive society by raising awareness about others’ religions and beliefs and fostering understanding of, and respect for, the diversity of beliefs. • Well-trained teachers can situate religious texts and lessons in their contexts to facilitate critical thinking, broaden one’s horizon and deepen one’s insight into the complexities of both past and present. International Approaches: Commitments to Education, Social Cohesion, and FoRB Several international organizations play instrumental roles in bridging connections between education and FoRB: UNESCO’s longstanding commitments to inclusive and pluralistic societies shape the organization’s decades long work in putting forward recommendations and guidelines on 4 peacebuilding education. The UNESCO 1974 “Recommendation Concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” exemplifies earlier work in promoting human rights and ending discrimination in societies. Current UNESCO work involves facilitating Global Citizenship Education (GCE) that promotes more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure, and sustainable societies3. In addition, UNESCO works worldwide to support improvements in textbooks to make them more tolerant and inclusive with a particular focus on three key themes: religion, gender, and culture. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief calls upon the member states to “promote, through the educational system and other means, mutual understanding, tolerance, non-discrimination and respect in all matters relating to freedom of religion or belief by encouraging, in society at large, a wider knowledge of different religions and beliefs and of the history, traditions, languages and cultures of the various religious minorities existing within their jurisdiction”. This goal is highlighted in the 2019 Resolution of the Human Rights Council.4 The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations emphasizes the importance of education in eradicating ethnic and cultural violence. The Report of the High-Level Group of the Alliance of Civilizations (2006) observes, “Education systems, including religious schools, must provide students with a mutual respect and understanding for the diverse religious beliefs, practices and cultures in the world.”5 “The Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crime” is a human rights-based effort of the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. The 2017 document highlights three main clusters of recommendations that aim to prevent, strengthen, and build against violence and atrocities. Education falls under the “strengthen” category and aims to target religious leaders and actors to address the lack of religious freedom literacy.6 The “Rabat Plan of Action” (2013) also acknowledges education’s transformative power on
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